Pbotector fob



C. & A. C. WILHELM.

LampShade.

Patented April 3,1855.

ings, in which-.-

UNiTEDsTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

l cHARLEs WILHELM AND ANNA c. WILHELM, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

- PROTECTOR FOR LAMP-SHADES. l i

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,646, dated April 3, 1855.

h h i To all 'w homc'timay Canaan) i Be it known thatwe, CHARLES VILHELM and ANNA GATHARINE WILHELM, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,ghave :invented certain new i and useful Improvements in the Construction of Frames for Lamp-Shades; and we do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw- Figure 1 representsa Perspective view of the frame, and Fig. 2 represents a modified form of the frame.

The nature of our invention consists in the i h introduction of mica, orany other equivalent transparent or translucent substance,

between the shade and the flame, for the a purpose o-fpreventing the shade from taking fire, orfrombeing scorched or marred 3 by the heat, while at the same time there is A no obstruction tothe'light.

To enable others skilled inthe art to make and use our invention we will proceed to describe the same w1th reference tothe drawings, first stating, however, that we are aware a metallic plate has been used near the top of the frame as a protector against c the flame, incom ection with an air' passage between it and the paper shade. This metal A protector throws down the light, while its shadow darkens thewho-le or nearly the whole of the upper part of the room. Be-

side this, the metal being a good conductor,

becomesso hot, as tofade or stain the shade,

which have been stated.

if it does not burn it. W e do nottherefore.

'lay claim to any metallic, opaque, or conductlng material for this purpose, as such A h A are objectionable onmany accounts, some of A representsa socket made to fit over a gas burner, but which may be'enlarged for oil lamps, as the frame and shade over itis.

designed for both purposes I), b are hori- A zontal wires or arms, extending from said socket radially, to such distance as may be required toform the base of the dome, or

al cl, so inclined as tocontract the top of the frame, leavingjustspace enough for the heat or gas toescape, and at their tops, are.

truncated cone shaped frame, 0 being the ring to whichsaid armsare fastened at their outer ends. From this ring rises the braces united to a ring 6. Between the rings 0, and e, may be otherrings if found necessary to stay, or further stiffen the frame.

jgf, are two circular metallic rings formed of tin or other thin metal, folded or bent so as toform flanges or grooves, into which groovesfare slipped mica 9, either in sections or in one entire piece.- The mica being translucent or transparent, and a bad conducter of heat performs adouble duty, viz, it allows the light to pass through without obstruction, and prevents the burning, scorching, or otherwise injuring or fading the paper shade which passes over the frame. Glass could not be used with any economy, as it would be liable to crack by the heat, and would beside retain so much heat as to endanger the paper shade. It possesses the transparent properties, but not the nonconformed. In this plan the arms or braces d are cut off at or near the lower flanged ring f, and on said lower ring is soldered or otherwise formed sockets z, i, into which the ends of the braces are slipped, and by which the upper part of the frame is sustained, said upper part being capable of being slid up or down on said braces to a certain extent without displacing materially said braces, v or cramping the ring.

.Having thus fully described the nature of our'invent-ion we would state that, we are aware that a patent has been granted to M. Dyott for a lamp shade frame made of metal, in which he claims, the arrangement of the shade, shield and wires or their equivalentsjwith the intervening space substantially' as described,for the protection of the shade. This we do not claim, but

What we do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The introduction of mica as a transparent non conducting material, between the shade and the frame, for the purpose of preventing the shadefrom taking fire, or being otherwise injured, while the light is as free to be reflected as though there was nothing interposed between them, substantially as described.

CHARLES WILHELM. ANNA CATHARINE WILHELM,

Witnesses:

A; B. S'roueH'roN, .I. H. GODDARD. 

